and Success sendeth down a Potent Army both by Sea and Land under the Command of the Duke of Lancaster they spoil all to the very Gates of Edenburgh they Enter the City and in their Fury resolve to set it on Fire but the Duke remembring that it had been a Sanctuary to himself in a late Danger Nobly preserveth it and returneth with his Army His Army returned Earl Dowglass immediately marcheth with an Army and regaineth all the Castles in the English Power Roxborrow only excepted for which he put very fair but that a Burning Feaver of which he Dyed prevented him In the mean while a Peace is Concluded in France between all the Three Kingdoms of France England and Scotland the French undertake to publish this Peace forthwith in Scotland but are Negligent in it until the News of a great havock done in Scotland after the Conclusion of the Peace by an Army of 10000 English Horsemen and 6000 Bowmen under the Earl of Northumberland and Notingham the Scots sensible of this Abuse refuse to hearken to Terms of Peace notwithstanding the earnest desire of their King to embrace them Dowglass Lindsey and Dunbar privately withdraw from Court raise an Army and flying rather than marching into England consume all with fire and sword even to the Gates of New-Castle return laden with Spoil and proclaim the Peace In the Year following the French Admiral Jean de Vienna landeth in Scotland with about some Two Thousand Auxiliary Foot and an Hundred Curasiers with Six Months Pay King Richard of England having Notice hereof and withal Intelligence of great Preparations making against him in France by Charles the Sixth the French King which soon evaporated into Smoak by the delays of the Duke of Bury suddenly raiseth an Army of Sixty Thousand Foot and Eight Thousand Horse some say One Hundred Thousand Foot and Ten Thousand Horse some Three Hundred Thousand of both and in great Fury marcheth into Scotland burneth and killeth all along Forty Miles without respect of Place or Person Edenburgh and Melrose both Consumed by Fire King Robert thinking it no way safe to give Battel to so great an Army sendeth an Army into Cumberland where they freely Wast and Spoil all King Richard not daring to march beyond the Scottish Frith as the Duke of Lancaster Advised him whom he therefore Suspected of a Traiterous Design against him nor to leave the Sea Coast having all his Stores of Provision from his Navy then attending him on the Frith and the Winter then drawing on resolveth rather to return home by the way of Berwick than with the hazard of all by reason of Cold and Hunger to Pursue the Scots in Cumberland which the Scots perceiving withdraw their Army at their own convenience and return no less laden with Spoil than the great Army of the English thus two Armies great enough are raised invade other Nations and return without sight one of another the People the common sufferers in such broils sustaining the loss King Robert knowing that the English could not return in the Winter Season sendeth his Army to reduce Roxborrough then in the hands of the English strongly Fortified and well Garrison'd the Siege being formed the French crave the Possession and Government of the Town when regained the Scots peremptorily refuse telling them plainly their Service deserved no such Reward as so strong a Garrison the Possession whereof should enable them to become at pleasure Arbitrators both of War and Peace the Siege breaketh up in discontent the Scots weary of the Insolence and grievous Plunderings of the French send them fairly home retaining the Commander in Chief until reasonable Satisfaction made for the wast done by his Souldiers King Richard of England now returned home and his great Army disbanded behold a Cloud appeareth which breaketh out into such a storm as in the end proved his Ruin Whilst all things are in confusion in England the Scottish Nobility unwilling to loose the opportunity cry out for a Vindictive Army to be raised to revenge King Richard's last years inhuman Cruelty the good King touched with a fellow-feeling of King Richard's Sufferings choosing rather to bear the wrong done than to wound the afflicted sheweth himself very averse to the Counsels of his Nobility which his Nobles perceiving resent it more than well beseeming them and privately contrive an Army without the knowledge of their King with which they march into England one part of their Army marcheth by the way of Carlile under the Conduct of two of the King 's Younger Sons the Earls of Fife and Straern the other by the way of Berwick under the Command of James Earl Dowglass The first Army spoileth the Countrey without opposition and returneth with Spoil enough bought at a cheap rate The second hath not the like fortune tho' it marched with such hast and secresie that the smoak it raised in the Conflagration of Towns and Villages was its first Discovery having spoiled the Bishoprick of Durham Earl Dowglass resolveth to Attempt New-Castle the Percies in those days the most Valiant Family England had draw their Forces thither for its Defence some light Skirmishing there was for three days together the two Commanders in Chief Dowglass and Piercy think it worthy of their Fame to try their single Valour in view of both Armies which accordingly they did with incredible Gallantry on both sides Percy is at last dismounted Dowglass who Thirsted not after Blood but Honour as a Noble Cavalier doth not offer one blow to his dismounted Enemy layeth only hold on his Spear Saying My Lord your Spear shall home with me as the Trophee of this Noble Encounter and with these words Retreateth to the Van of his Army Next day after Dowglass draweth off the Field and marcheth to Otturburn some Eight Miles from New-Castle where contrary to the Advice of his Council his Army being inferiour in number by one half to the English he stayeth some three days attending Earl Percy his rescue of his Spear Percy to regain his Honour resolveth to Fight him contrary to the Advice of all his Council too who presumed as they had reason that Dowglas so Discreet and Wary a Souldier would not hazard to give Battel to an Army so much exceeding his Number as two to one unless he had some considerable Forces laid in Ambush to insnare them The two Armies the one not above Five Thousand the other not under Ten Thousand joyn Battel in the Evening and with various and doubtful Success coutinued Fight almost the whole Night by the benefit of the Light they had from the Full Moon at last the Scots gave ground which by the Valour of two Heburnes both Patrick by Name was quickly regained Dowglass Chargeth so desperately with two Attendants only Hart and Glendimung that having evidenced incredible strength both of Spirit and Body he falleth under the burden of many wounds before his Forces were able to take him off his Body is rescued when it
The Vice-Roy marcheth against him and after some small bickerings Lennox retireth into England and is honourably entertained by King Henry to whom he tenders his Service in opposition to the French Faction then prevailing in Scotland of which his Majesty so well accepted that he gave to him in Marriage his Neice the Lady Margaret Dowglas Daughter to Margaret his own Sister and Wife to James the Fourth by her second Husband the Earl of Angus Lennox and his Friends most of them have their Estates confiscate The English re-enter Scotland Fire Jeeburgh and Kelso waste most of the Countrey thereabout and leaving a Garrison at Coldingham they return home with their Booty The Vice-Roy in the depth of Winter layeth Siege to Coldingham and all on the sudden retireth to Dunbar leaving his Army in which he durst not confide at the Siege by this unexpected desertion the Army falls into Confusion by the wisdom and valour of the Earl of Angus the Cannon and all other things belonging to the Army are safely brought off and carried to Dunbar Next Spring Thomas Duke of Norfolk is sent down with an Army to joyn with that on the Borders with a design to reduce all on this side forth to the Obedience of the English The Vice-Roy by the incouragement of Angus marcheth toward the Borders and at Ancram obtaineth a Victory over the English which Disaster much inraging the English King the Vice-Roy sends to France to crave assistance Three thousand Foot and Five hundred Horse are granted and sent under the Command of Sir James Montgomery by whose assistance the Vice-Roy marcheth in a Plundering Expedition within the English Borders and soon after Disbandeth his Army next Winter Montgommery returneth to France And now some Stirs begin by such as endeavoured some Mutations and Reformation of Religion George Wisheart having fallen away from Popery and embracing the Reformation begun in Germany is apprehended and at a Council of Bishops and some others held at St. Andrews is Condemned as guilty of Heresie The Cardinal sendeth to the Vice-Roy to desire the Law to be executed against him who wisheth the Cardinal not to be too hasty but to forbear a little which distasted the Cardinal not a little at whose command forthwith Execution is done upon him at Saint Andrews the Cardinal beholding the Tragedy from his Windows not without some Pomp which Wisheart perceiving said to the Governour of the Castle standing by him He who now insulteth over me shall in few days be tumbled over the same Window with more disgrace than now he setteth with state At the uttering of which words he is strangled to death and his Body burnt to ashes This fact of the Cardinal and the manner of his proceeding without the Authority of the Vice-Roy gave distast to many at last his Death is contrived and perpetrated by Norman Lisle Son to the Earl of Rothuse whose discontent arose from the refusal of a private grant which the Cardinal conceived not fit to be yielded to him Lisle calls some sixteen Consorts together to whom he discovered his intent craving their concurrence all was agreed unto the time and manner is appointed for execution over Night they come privately to St. Andrews and lodge severally in divers Inns to render themselves the less suspected next Day morning by break of day two of the Conspirators come to the Castle and being known Men the Porter openeth to them they enter and the rest follow streight the Porter is laid fast and all the Cardinal's Servants secured threatning them with Death if once they whispered which done they repair to the Cardinal his Chamber they knock the Cardinal admiring what this should mean that Strangers and none of his Servants should at such a season come to his Chamber-door refuseth to open Norman Lisle well known to him and a man much favoured by him protested they minded him no hurt at all but that they had a matter of great Importance to Communicate to him the dispatch of which required that their unseasonable coming to his Chamber the Cardinal trusting their Protestations openeth his Door they enter fall forthwith upon him and barbarously Murther him By this time News are carried into the City of the Surprisal of the Castle The Cardinal his Friends and Retainers immediately Arm beset the Castle threatning the death of all within if the Cardinal were not preserved alive the Murtherers told them it was too late and therewith cast his dead Body barbarously cut over the same Window from whence he beheld the Tragedy of the late mentioned Martyr George Wisheart which added not a little to the high Opinion the People had of Wisheart remembring the last words he spake concerning the Cardinal This Impious Murther highly provok'd the Court the Vice-Roy Summoneth the Murtherers to appear before him they refuse and are declared Traitors but they having seised the Cardinal his Treasure and having in their power the Vice-Roy his Son who then remained with the Cardinal and confiding in the strength of the Castle stand upon their guard The Vice-Roy layeth Siege to the Castle and after some four Months Siege in vain he withdraws his Force and returneth to Edenburgh to be present at Parliament then ready to Assemble and now behold the Judgment of God upon those Barbarous Murtherers they being formerly Men in all outward deportment not only Civil but Religious and reputed Men of tender Consciences give themselves now over to all manner of wickedness Murthers profane Swearing drinking to Excess and Whoring were things of course with them their wickedness came to this height The Vice-Roy too slow in avenging so much Wickedness layeth again Siege to the Castle assisted with some French Forces after much Battery they are content to deliver themselves to the French Admiral Monsieur Strozius upon Quarter for Life they are set on the French Shoar and disperse themselves all of them living ever after in great Misery are in their several turns pursued by the wrath of God to violent and untimely Ends. About this time the Duke of Sommerset now after the Death of King Henry the Lord Protector of England Invadeth Scotland with a powerful Army the Vice-Roy all on the sudden rolleth together Thirty thousand Horse and Foot to whom the English Protector sendeth a very fair Letter requiring their young Queen may be assured in Marriage to the young King of England according to former Agreement and for their better Security he demands the said Princess may be Educated not in any Foreign Country but at home until she come to such years as might inable her to make her own Choice Further desiring that in the interim there might be Peace between the two Nations and no treaty of Marriage admitted with any other Prince All which being granted the Protector promiseth not only to withdraw his Army but likewise to make reasonable satisfaction for all the hurt he had done to all which Proposals the Scottish Vice-Roy returns no Answer
by reason of his non-adherence a Divorce issueth out and the former Marriage declared Null The Divorce published the young Lady is Married not without her great grief and reluctancy at the King 's special and peremptory Command to James Earl Hammilton the issue of which unhappy Marriage proved in most after-Generations an unhappy Annoyance to the Crown by whom she had James and Margaret The Lord Boyd out-lives not this Disaster dyeth with Grief at Antwerp where the Duke of Burgundy erected for him a most stately Tomb thus in a trice fell the flourishing Family of the Boydes a real Instance of the instability and vanity of the World These Stirs over the Peace is renewed with England and at home Disturbances not many nor great But this Calm lasted not long Fears and Jealousies the bane of all States disturb all and like an evil Spirit divide between the King and the Nobility Affairs standing thus his Majesty useth the Counsels of some Knights and Gentlemen in whose wisdom and integrity he confided much this enrageth the Nobility yet more and as if this had not been afflictious enough his younger Brother John conspireth his Death by the means of wicked Sorcerers for which Treason he is condemned to Dye by the opening of a Vein which accordingly was executed Alexander the other Brother suspected conscious to this Treason is Committed to Edenburgh Castle from thence he Escapeth and Saileth into France where he takes to Wife the Daughter of the Earl of Bononia Ambassadours are again sent from England to renew the Peace and to Ratifie the same by a new Affinity of an inter-marriage between James Son to King James and the Lady Cicilie Daughter to King Edward to be Solemnized so soon as both come to age fit for Marriage in the mean while a part of the Dowry to be paid down and in case the Marriage happened not to be Consummated the same to be repaired to the English These things were all happily concluded but the more was the pity not very long observed Dowglas an old Exile and Alexander the King's Brother by this time come over to England perswade King Edward to War against the Scots and on the other hand King Lewis of France incites King James against the English King Edward levieth Twenty thousand Men pretending to vindicate some Wrongs done by some late Inroads made by the Scots and under the Command of the Duke of Glocester accompanied with divers Noble Men amongst whom was Alexander Duke of Albany they March Northward King James prepareth an Army for defence advanceth to Lawder not far from the Borders where the discontent of some of the Nobility breaketh out into Violence against the King's Counsellors they Surprize them in the Night and drag most of them from the King's presence and are all by special influence of the Earl of Angus Sir John Ramsey only except immediately hanged in the view of the Army their great Crime save that some of them were advanced to the dignity of Noble Men was the Coyning of Brass Money in use many days before and continueth in that Kingdom to this day The truth is the King's Favour to them and their Faith to the King was their greatest Treason After this Disaster the Army dissolveth the King returneth to Edenburgh with no less Fear than Grief and Indignation The Duke of Glocester advanceth to the Gates of Edenburgh leaving Four thousand of his Army to Besiege the Castle of Berwick the Nobility in this distraction raiseth an Army to stop this Current Alexander Duke of Albany with the consent of the Duke of Glocester goeth over into the Scots Army where the Command in chief so handsomely was the Game played is immediately transferred to him a Treaty immediately set on foot by agreement Berwick is immediately surrendered the Duke returns to England and a Truce for certain Years appointed King Edward having seen so many late strange Mutations in England and fearing the like fate to King James which had happened to some of the English Kings viz. the ruine of his Family sendeth an Herald to Scotland and at Edenburgh proclaimeth the late contract of Marriage between the two young Princesses to be void demanding the repayment of that part of the Dowry paid King James being now at more liberty than before repayeth the Money not without some Indignation Duke Alexander perceiving that his Majesty's Eye was upon him and that his traiterous Design to compass the Crown was discovered flyeth privately into England and betrayeth the Castle of Dunbar to King Edward the Parlinment declareth him Traitor pardoning all his Associates after pardon granted Chrichton Son to the late Chancellor keepeth Correspondence with the Duke is summoned to answer disobeyeth and is Banished The Duke and Earl Dowglas both Exiles resolve to try their Fortune and Favour of the People return to Scotland with Five hundred Horse the Country riseth against them after a bloody Conflict nigh Lough Maban the Duke is overthrown and escapeth Dowglas is apprehended and sent Prisoner to Lindores By this time King Edward of England dieth and committeth his Son Edward the Fifth to the Tuiton of his Brother Richard Duke of Glocester the Duke impiously Murdereth his two Nephews and setteth himself on the Throne Immediately he sendeth his Ambassadors to Scotland to treat for Peace King James in detestation of their Master refuseth them Audience at last with much ado Audience is granted no Peace could be obtained a Truce only for three Years concluded by reason of the King 's own unsetled condition Soon after this Truce King Richard is killed at Bosworth Field Henry the Seventh obtaineth the Crown and cometh in Person to Newcastle from whence he sendeth his Ambassadors to Scotland Richard Fox Bishop of Exeter and Sir Richard Edgcombe they are Honourably received their Master and the matter of their Embassy which was Peace both indear them to King James who very freely told them that there was nothing he desired more than Peace though he durst not promise a lasting Peace with England by reason of the restless and unquiet Spirits of his Nobility which he heartily bemoaned to them adjuring them to conceal from his Nobles the carnest desire he had of Peace from which he knew they would be the more averse finding him bent towards it and in fine he prayeth them to rest satisfied with a Truce for Seven Years promising that before the determination thereof he on his part should be ready to renew it Seven Years more as one passionately desirous to live in peace with the English all his Life This Answer is returned to King Henry and a Truce accordingly for Seven Years concluded In the mean while Alexander Duke of Albany dieth in France leaving behind him two Sons Alexander and John afterwards Vice-Roy in Scotland King James now promiseth himself some quiet the Original of all his troubles removed and in order thereunto he Proclaims a general Pardon receiveth his Enemies into Favour Honoureth some